Improved furnace fob boasting and smelting gold and other ores



J. W. 'SHAEFFER.

Furnace for Metals. Patented July 14; I868.

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JOHN W. SHAEFFER, or RED WING, MINNESOTA.

Letters mam No. 80,020, dated July 4, 1868.

IMPROVED FURNACE FOR ROASTIN G AND SMELTING GOLD AND OTHER ORES.

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TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, Jenn W. SHAEFFER, of Red Wing, in the countyof Goodhue, and State of Minnesota, have invented a: new and useful Improvement in Furnaces for smelting Ores and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, ,and exact descriptiomthereot', which will enable those skilled in the artto make and use the same, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements infurnaces for smelting and reducing gold, silver, copper, and other ores, whereby many of the ohjcctionstb theordinary methodspf reducingthose ores are overcome.

And the invention "consists in the constructionand arrangement of hearths, chambers, domes, and fines, as will be hereinafter more fully described.

Figure l represents a longitudinal elevation of the furnace, showing the apertures and doors for introducing the orcs to be worked, the domes and the stack.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical section, showing the hearth's upon which theores are laid to be reduced,

the furnace or fire-box, and the course of the flame and the general operation of the furnace in theprocess of reducing r cfractoryancl other ores.

This furnace combinesiri its construction all theadvantagesandpowers of theold reverherating .anilblast furnaces, and is especially adapted tothe working of the refractorygold and silver-bearing ores of; the Rocky mountains. i

Thesulphidc is readily changed to a sulphate by oxidation, but inr the old furnaces a sulphuret was formed by the mingling of the gases, and the process w as necessarily incomplete and unsatisfactory.

My furnace is provided with a lofty dome, into=which the gases ascend, and where they are kept from uniting againwith the matrix, so that a sulphuret cannot possibly be formed in my process.

A represents the domes.

B, the receiving-chambers.

C is the furnace or fire-box.

D represents the apertures for the introduction of the ores.

e represents orifices through which the ores are discharged. 7

After the oreshre brought to a state of fusion, they areprecipitated into. the chamber B where they are fluxed.

F represents the hearth, upon which ores are laid for smelting.

A blast is used to. assist in the process a portionof the time, as may be deemed necessary. k

G is a cistern, containing water, against which the currents of gases impinge, and are condensed before reaching the stack H.

J is a door, at the bottom of the stack, for cleaning the same-when it may be necessary.

When the blast is used it is driven into the ash-pit through the aperture z' in the end ofthe furnace, (the ash-pit or chamber being closed.)

The blast passes through'th'e fireand is forced'diroctly into the metal bed. A

The gases generated on the first hearth'rise immediately into the dome, and are carried to the next hearth" and metal bed, where they are absorbed by the application-of charcoal or wood.

When passed through this furnace, thegold and silver, or other;metal,will be drawn from the furnace in nearly a pure state.

These furnaces may be made of any desired size and of'any suitable materials.

I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent- A furnace for smelting and reducing gold, silver, copper, and other ores, constructedsubstantially as herein shown and described.

JOHN .W. SHAEFFER.

Witnesses FRANK Ives, GEORGE Srnnsn. 

